Nightwatcher
by AndiKaneUnderwood
Summary: Raph has been sneaking out. So far, he's been able to do it undetected and he'd like to keep it that way. He does. At least until a late night's work in the Lab helps Don find out about it. Raph knows his twin will be able to keep the secret, so he takes Don along. But what happens when Leo finds out? / For a prompt by Skye7Diamond, originally a one-shot, turned into a story.
1. Into the Ring

Nightwatcher: Into The Ring

By: AndiKaneUnderwood

"Raph, please, I'm trying to keep you safe!" Leo pleaded, desperately trying to reason with the ginger boy.

"Leo, you know I'm right!" Raph shouted back, one arm loosely gripping his twin brother in preparation for a fight, the other curled into a tight fist and glowing a harsh red. "You've been drilling us too hard, so I started letting off steam, how I do that happens to be none of _your_ business!" Accusing amber eyes glared sharply into almond colored as if Raph could've burned holes into Leo's head with the fire in his eyes.

(He could've, but then he'd have to deal with the regret and the pain of losing a brother and he really didn't feel like committing murder today. Plus he dealt with enough from Yoshi and Leo as it was.)

The reason they were having this fight, was because Raph had been sneaking out after the other boys went to sleep (he was lucky it was one of the better weeks they all had) and fighting in an underground (illegal) ring as the vigilante hero Nightwatcher.

Don had only caught him because the genius had stayed up late in the lab working on the Power Gauntlets* and saw Raph sneaking out in metal armor.

"Raph?" Don asked, hurrying after the ginger boy. "Hey, wait up!"

Raph turned and his eyes widened. "Donny! What are ya doing? Yer supposed to be sleeping."

"I could say the same for you. What are you doing?" Don looked down at the armor. "And what are you _wearing_?"

Raph hesitated for a moment, debating whether or not he should bring his twin along. He nodded to himself and looked back at Don. "Grab yer gear, genius. I'll show ya."

Don looked at him for a second with that look in his eyes that mean the was calculating the risks, then he raced for the dojo on light feet and quickly dressed in his ninja garb, grabbing his bo staff and a few other things he'd need.

He was back at Raph's side in less than three minutes.

Raph smirked. "Ready?" He asked and Don nodded. "Ready."

 _TMNT~TMNT~TMNT_

Don followed his brother down winding trails and twisting tunnels. When they reached a tunnel filled with strobe lighting and harsh men, Raph stopped Don and pulled him off to the side. "Okay, Donny, this is important, you need to listen to me." Raph told him, setting his metal helmet down at his side.

Don nodded, "Alright." To himself, he added, _I always listen to you._

"This place, I'm going to, it's just for a few extra bucks to help Dad out this month." Don felt that made sense, their father's customers had been slow this month and Don himself had taken up a few jobs by selling custom made tech for 20 bucks or so. "It also helps me let off steam cause Leo's been drilling us so hard."

Don knew that made sense too, he'd actually fallen asleep at his desk four times this week.

"These people are big, mean, and gutsy, alright? So, unless someone's trying to off me outside the ring, don't jump in. They may look stupid, but their pretty fast. Don't jump in alright? Not tonight."

Don gave his twin a small smile and the Boy Scout salute. "Promise. Scout's honor."

Raph chuckled and ruffled Don's hair. "Okay, Boy Scout." He teased, ignoring Don's protest of "Eagle Scout!"

"Good. Now, put your hood up." Raph waited until Don complied, then picked up his helmet and put it on. "Stay close."

Don slipped into position on Raph's left, easily falling one step behind his twin, as it had always been.

The guy guarding the door inside stopped them. "Nightwatcher." He snapped, voice clipped.

"Deadbeat." Raph snarled back.

"Who's behind you?"

"He's with me."

"Who is he?"

"He's. With. _Me._ It don't matter if you know who he is, he's just come along to watch a match. Now let us in 'fore I tell Big Boss you ran off his best fighter cause you where too worried about a stranger that'll be staying with me." The snarl in his voice told Don that no matter what happened, Raph wasn't leaving him out here and for some reason, that made Don feel much better that it should've.

Deadbeat thought about that and then shrugged. "Fine, but if Big Boss says so, newbie's out faster that one of your take outs."

As they passed through the door Raph looked at Deadbeat and snarled again. "His name is Techno. Not _Newbie."_

Then the both of them were gone in a flash of shadow.

 _TMNT~TMNT~TMNT_

Raph ushered Don into a large room with a television and luxury couch like their father had in the living room (before Don's experiment exploded when he was five and they made the lab). He pushed a button and the window to the outside darkened. Raph pulled off his helmet and sighed, running his fingers through his hair.

"Okay, so rule one. Here you've _gotta_ call me Nightwatcher. You can't call anyone here by real name, which is why I called you Techno at the door. If they know your name, then they can find you later and a lot of the guys here are vengeful. If you have to, call me Iyasa, but not my real name, okay?"

"Okay, Don replied absently, looking around.

"Donny." The brunette's attention snapped to Raph's amber eyes. "What did I just say?" He asked, in a tone Don had often heard used when the brunette was distracted on patrols, the tone that made Raph sound like an exasperated parent with an unruly kid.

"Don't call you by name, call you Nightwatcher and if I have to, Iyasa." Don rattled off.

"Good. Rule two, stay away from the ring when there's a match going on. You'll stay in here when I'm out there fighting; it's the champion's room. Stay in here until we leave and beforehand only leave if you need to."

Don's eyes said he didn't understand why, but his nod told Raph that the brunette trusted him regardless.

Raph gripped Don's shoulder in a way that said the ginger boy needed Don's complete attention.

"Last and most importantly, the majority of these guys are criminals and rapists and muggers, so you've gotta watch yer back, alright?" Raph watched Don's eyes go from confused to disgusted in under three seconds and he thought that perhaps that was the fasted he'd ever seen Don switch emotions like that, even when the genius was upset.

Don stared out the one way window with intense, burning eyes that Raph had learned long ago to be afraid of. "I'll watch my back if you'll watch yours." He said and the burning eyes soften when they turn back to Raph, though there's still some steel inside, and Raph nods.

"I'll be fine. Just stay in here, alright?"

Don nods again. "Alright. Keep the hood up in case someone comes in. If you get into a fight you can't handle, you know what to do with this."

Raph handed Don the emergency button the genius had made after Mikey had gotten jumped in a back alley after coming home from track practice. He had made it so they linked up with the other emergency buttons Don made and told the user if one was in trouble, where to find him, and how long until medical attention would be called for.

Don took the button and then hugged Raph tightly. "Please be careful. I'd hate to have to explain to Leo how you've been sneaking out at night." Don knew it was illogical, but he couldn't shake the feeling that Raph wasn't safe down here. Don knew Raph could take care of himself, with the training and powers they had, but he'd seen the builds these men had and if they were as fast as Raph said, then maybe Raph wasn't as safe as he thought he was.

"Don't worry _genio_. These boys won't know what hit them." Raph grinned and a little boy came in.

"Mr. Nightwatcher? The Big Boss says you're up in three."

"Thanks Young One, I'll be right out." Raph put on his helmet and sighed.

Don smiled. "Good luck."

Raph smiled behind the mask and nodded to his twin. "Be right back." he promised, and then he was gone.

Don watched his brother walk up to the arena and shed his boots and gloves. This fight was clearly already one.

 _TMNT~TMNT~TMNT_

The fight was brutal, heading off easy with the other man getting on two hits and a couple kicks, but Raph retaliated even easier and the match bottomed out with Raph as the victor and the other man being carried off in a stretcher.

Raph picked up his boots and gloves and walked back to the champion's room.

Don was waiting for him when he opened the door, taking the armor and moving to the couch, already talking about how well Raph did and how he could improve.

Raph smiled as Don rambled, coming from anyone else, the ginger likely would've put them in the hospital as easily as he had his opponent, but this was _Don_ and Raph would never intentionally hurt him.

"He almost had you for a second; your left side's a bit weak. You should probably pay a bit more intention during Dad's lessons, but other than that, it was a great match." Don was practically vibrating with excitement.

No, wait, Don was actually _vibrating_. Raph put a hand on Don's shoulder and the vibrating stopped.

"How about we spar for a bit and you can tell me all about the flaws I need to work on."

"Sure." Don replied and dropped into ready position.

Raph chuckled and launched, ready to defend himself and win this fight.

 _TMNT~TMNT~TMNT_

Raph huffed as he and Don headed back home.

The younger twin is mumbling under his breath, a flurry of harsh words that could rival the freeze of Leo's own power.

He'd lost his last fight. Top Dog had played a trick he wasn't expecting. Top Dog was the new champion and Raph would need to wait until the next night to challenge him.

It was so stupid. And what was worse, Donny had to see it. Raph was _sure_ that Don would go straight to their father and Leo out of concern for his health, but even as they trekked the long cold sewers, all Don would talk about was karma and the unfairness of the fight and how low the other man had gone.

"I thought criminals had a code too. Stupid. Karma will bite him soon." Don grumbled and Raph had to taper down a laugh.

Don may look like an angry kitten when he was angry, but anyone who knew the Hamato twins knew that when Don got angry, he got _angry_ and he got scary.

When they finally managed to get home, Don collapsed in his bed and Raph took it to mean that he was alright for the night.

That didn't stop the ginger from staying with the younger twin for a while.

Raph stayed for an hour, stroking Don's hair to renew the connection of their powers, and then he slipped out of the room and retired to his own for the night.

 ***Power Gauntlets are just the gloves the boys wore sometimes to boost their powers until they got a better handle on them back when they were learning and couldn't use their powers in massive amounts without fear of passing out. Because they want to be able to handle the powers themselves, they didn't often wear the Gauntlets, only against super powerful enemies like Shredder.**


	2. Found Out

Nightwatcher: Found Out

By: AndiKaneUnderwood

 **Warning: Strong language and some on-screen violence.**

Raph being Nightwatcher was hardly anything new, he'd been running out and playing vigilante under Casey's code name for three months now. What was new was Don coming along when Raph went out.

This night was no different, Don waited for him in full ninja gear at the dojo, patiently waiting for his older twin to show up so they could move along.

"Ready, Don?" Raph asked softly as the brunette looked up.

Brown eyes flashed brightly with amusement, worry, and guilt as the genius nodded. If Raph didn't know his twin, the ginger might think that Don had told Leo or Splinter. Seeing as how he knew Don better than anyone else in the world, Raph knew that look meant that Don was excited to get going and was eager to watch Raph wipe the floor with muggers and rapists, though he felt guilty about it because he didn't like violence at all and he worried for Raph's safety.

They silently made their way into the tunnels, both completely unaware of a silent figure watching from the shadows, nor that the figure followed them on swift and silent feet.

 _TMNT~TMNT~TMNT_

Raph banged three times on the door and was let in by Deadbeat, who snarled at Don as the brunette passed.

Don only raised an eyebrow at Raph as they settled down in the Champions room that Raph had successfully won back from Top Dog the week after he lost it.

Raph chuckled as he darkened the window and pulled off his helmet. "He's still pissed I managed to get you in without Big Boss's knowledge or protest. You're the only person here that Big Boss doesn't make fight."

"Why's that?" Don asked as he dropped into a defensive position and started preparing for their ritual pre-fight spar.

Raph smirked. "Cause he knows I'll knock his ass to the ground if he forces you to fight when you don't _want_ to."

Don didn't have time to reply, because Raph had distracted him with a fist to his head. Don deflected, laughed, and then swung his leg around for a round house. His hit was blocked and the fight was on.

The two brothers went all out, fighting with all the strength and know-how they possessed, neither having the upper hand and neither giving up.

The figure that followed them from their home watched them from up above, waiting for his moment to strike.

 _TMNT~TMNT~TMNT_

Raph rolled his shoulders beneath the armor as he prepared for his fight with a new comer, Shard.

Shard was female, but anyone who made it to challenge Raph got everything Raph could dish out and more.

So, as she moved into a defensive position, Raph began analyzing her style and stance, looking for weak spots and breaks he could manipulate.

He found three. 1) Her left side, which was weak, she favored her right, 2) her legs, fairly unprotected and her knees where wobbly, likely getting over a sprained or torn ligament, and 3) her arms where shaking slightly, which was a sign of concealed anxiety, this left her face, nose, mouth, and eyes wide open for Raph to get at.

He let Shard make the first move, she came straight for his eyes like he'd seen her do to all her other opponents.

Raph ducked under her, moving fluidly as he pulled out and quickly brought his elbow up, then crashing back down her neck. She fell with a groan, landing sprawled out on the floor and Raph stood, hands clasped behind his back, waiting for Shard to get back up.

She did and Raph was immediately pouncing on her, grabbing the back of her neck and bringing his knee up to hit her stomach, then her face.

She groaned when he let her go and ducked back, blood spurting in thick waves from her nose.

Raph pounced on Shard, jabbing her eyes, then her throat, and finally shoving his fists into her stomach. If she wanted to play with the big boys, Raph would give her everything she expected.

Shard hit the floor. Blood bubbled up from her lips and Raph worried momentarily that he'd broken a rib. She spat the blood out, the lunged again, and Raph ducked again, hitting three of the pressure points in Shard's left side.

Shard groaned and hit the floor; Raph knew the fight was over. People cheered, screaming and chanting, "Nightwatcher! Nightwatcher! Nightwatcher!"

Raph grinned and stepped off the stage, heading back to the Champion's Room and back to his brother.

The bell rang and the sounds of another fight went on behind him. The last fight of the night. Raph grinned. Tonight was a good night.

 _TMNT~TMNT~TMNT_

Tonight was a _bad_ night.

Raph's lips curled into a snarl as he listened to Leo ranting.

Raph and Don left the Fighting Place at midnight, the shadow following them all the way back. The shadow turned out to be Leo, who'd gotten suspicious that Raph and Don where getting themselves into trouble. He tore into them when they where three blocks away from the Lair.

"Raph, I expected something like this from you, but Don?" Leo turned to the brother in purple, who looked startled that Leo even acknowledged he was there, so far, Leo had just been yelling at Raph. "Don, I expected something much different, but not this."

"Don't you go bringing Don into this, Fearless!" Raph snapped.

"And why not? Did you _drag_ him to your fight club?"

"And if I did? He didn't fight there, this is all on me. You're just pissed I'm doing something _you_ didn't know about!" Raph snarled, teeth bared and lips drawn back, just like the first night Don had gone with him to the fights.

"He's right." Don spoke up suddenly, looking Raph right in the eyes.

"What?" Raph asked.

"He's right."

"Donny..."

 _"No._ He's right. We need to stop. _I_ can't keep doing this." Don told the ginger.

"Donny, this isn't hurting _anyone._ What we've been doing isn't exactly _legal_ but it isn't doing any harm to innocents." Raph told his twin, reminding him.

"There's the point. It's not _legal,_ it _hurts_ people. Sure it hurts muggers and bad guys, but it _hurts people,_ Raph. I... I don't..." Donny looked up at Raph with the pleading puppy dog eyes only little brothers could do. Raph realized that Don was trying to tell him that _Don_ couldn't keep doing this.

Raph remembered that Don was the very _definition_ of a pacifist, non violent, conflict avoiding and guilty when he hurt people in self defense unless it was his right to do so and he _knew_ he didn't have any other choice.

Raph knew Don was begging him not to go out, Don was worried. Raph suddenly understood. Leo was his eldest brother, the commanding one, the one in charge.

Don was younger and self-conscious and insecure and would do just about anything in the face of what the family referred to as a _direct order_. Raph went over Leo's words and how he'd said them. And immediately, he pegged the moment that Leo slipped the right amount of authority into his voice to get his way *****.

Raph turned his harsh stare to Leo. "Get the _fuck_ outta my face Leonardo. Or I'll rearrange it permanently." He snarled.

Leo's eyes flashed a light blue and then he was scrambling away.

Don came just a bit closer and reached out hesitantly, "Raph?"

Raph turned on him, so angry that he didn't register what he was saying before the words where flying past his lips. "And you! If I'd have known you where such a _pussy,_ I never would've brought you with me in the first place!"

Don's eyes widened, tears filling them before they where angrily blinked away and Don's face flushed pink. "Well, it's good to know _someone_ has my back, Raphael. Even if all they do is stick a _knife_ in it." He snarled. "Good luck at your next match. Maybe some fucker will get lucky and send _you_ to the hospital instead of the other way around _."_

Then he was rushing off down the sewer tunnels and Raph felt the anger and hurt radiating off of him even from twenty feet away. Raph's shoulders shook with the effort it took to hold himself back.

He wanted to run off after his brother and apologize, but it wouldn't do a lick of good. When Don was upset enough to curse, he was upset enough to fight and upset enough to not care if he hurt anyone.

Raph sighed. "Good job, Raph. You've just pissed off the only person who _actually_ cares." He sighed again and started heading home.

In the morning, he'd apologize and beg for Donny to forgive him and hopefully get Don to understand why he'd been so harsh, not an excuse, but at least he'd know why it had happened.

Right now, he'd let Don cool off.

Raph looked at his helmet as he stood in his room with the door opened slightly, letting Don know he was welcome to come in if he happened to have a change of heart that night.

Maybe it was time to let Nightwatcher just be Casey.

It was clear to Raph that from here, it would only cause more problems.

Raph grunted as he hurled the thing across the room, it hit the sound proof wall and slid down, and sat down on his bed with a defeated sigh.

When this all blew over, he was never taking the title of Nightwatcher again.

 ***No, Leo is not a selfish asshole who manipulates and lies to get his way. He knows that the best way to get Raph to do anything is to get Don to ask/tell him to do so. This is** _ **literally**_ **just Leo's misguided attempt at protect his younger brothers. He's just trying very hard and failing spectacularly to protect them, I swear.**

 **Part three is underway, I promise. I'm not leaving it like this; I would** _ **never**_ **be able to live with myself if I did.**


	3. Avoidance and a Promise

Nightwatcher: Avoidance and a Promise

By: AndiKaneUnderwood

Raph hadn't spoken to Don in about a month. After their argument (call it was it was, an _attack_ ) in the sewers and Don (rightfully) running away from the hostility Raph had displayed, the hothead frankly wouldn't be surprised if Don never spoke a word to him again.

Against his own words, Raph had unleashed a minor portion of his anger at his younger twin and Don had retaliated. As he was expected to.

Raph was in _agonizing_ misery. He couldn't think, could barely eat. All he could think about was the look of hurt on his younger twin's face. The blazing eyes that had been filling with tears, the angry flush on his face, Raph couldn't believe he'd let himself hurt Don like that.

Yes, Raph knew he sounded like a school girl with a crush, but no, Raph couldn't really bring himself to give a single solitary fuck about that.

Because Don was angry with him, he flat out refused to go to Raph's room at all. Raph had taken to waiting until the genius fell asleep (in his room, on the couch, in the lab, anywhere really) and taking him back to his room if required. He'd gently ruffle Don's hair to renew their connection to their powers and apologize every time he left.

To avoid discomfort for his best friend, if Don was in the room, Raph would leave him be, and if he'd come into the room, Raph wouldn't interact with him unless Don decided to initiate interaction.

Usually this consisted of "Raph, have you seen my spare (insert lost thing Don's looking for here)?" or "Raph, could you get me (insert thing too high up for Don to reach here)?" or even on occasion "Raph will you come help me (insert thing that Don needs help doing here)?". Raph always replied positive unless he had a prior engagement with Sensei, Leo, Mikey, or Casey.

It had been a long month.

And it would be a longer one unless Don decided to talk to Raph about the hothead's attack in the sewer.

 _TMNT~TMNT~TMNT_

Don would tell you a multitude of times that he wasn't angry with his brother. In fact, he was exactly the opposite. He was actually very worried. He'd been trying to apologize to his brother for the past month, but anytime he was in a room or doing something he and Raph would do together (giving the ShellCycle a tune up, getting home from school, so on and so forth) Raph would completely leave the room and/or go to his room and stay there for several hours with out coming out.

Now, Don wasn't stupid, he knew that he'd said somethings he hadn't meant to say and they'd been completely unintentional. That was one of the reasons he preferred to stay out of conflict completely, most people would carelessly throw their words around and speak with intention to hurt, to cause pain. Don didn't like it, which was why he'd run away when Raph had said those words. He'd meant to get away before he'd started speaking, but Raph's temper was only rivaled by Don's own and he'd been unable to stop the words from tumbling out of his mouth.

And believe him, he'd definitely tried.

Point being, Don knew he wasn't blameless, but he wasn't doing nothing about it. He'd actually begun going to the Fighting Ring on his own, to see if Raph had been going there at night.

Raph didn't know of course, Don was afraid that if he _did_ tell Raph then on the off chance Raph did go back, he'd stop.

To be perfectly honest, Don just wanted his brother back. He knew Raph hadn't meant a single word of what he'd said. He knew that Raph thought the genius was the smartest and bravest and the most skilled of the Hamato family. Don knew this because Raph made sure to tell him every time he got the chance.

Don sighed. He wished that he wasn't so pacifistic, perhaps then the fight wouldn't have happened and Raph wouldn't be avoiding him at every twist and turn.

 _TMNT~TMNT~TMNT_

Raph was going back to the Fighting Ring tonight. One last fight and then he was done until the next time business was slow at the dojo and Dad needed the extra money.

Big Boss was at the door tonight and he greeted Raph with open arms.

"Nightwatcher. Where've you been, bud?" Big Boss asked.

"Had a falling out with my friend. We're still working things out." Raph replied, letting his Brooklyn accent show a little more.

"You mean Techno, right?" Big Boss asked.

Raph nodded.

"You know, Deadbeat says he's been coming around here looking for you." Big Boss told him.

Raph perked up. "Is he here tonight?"

Big Boss nodded to Deadbeat. The man went inside and it was just Big Boss and Nightwatcher.

"You wanna tell me what this 'falling out' was about?" Big Boss asked.

"Techno's nonviolent. Doesn't like fighting. We had a disagreement. We're working it out."

"He ain't in here Boss." Deadbeat reported coming back out.

Nightwatcher thought about going in and ignoring this.

Then he decided that he'd rather hash things out with his brother.

"I'll be back next week, Boss."

Nightwatcher turned and ran. He ran back to the sewers and ran back to the Lair and ran straight for the lab.

"Donny?" He asked, looking around in the darkness. He lit a fire in his palm to provide light and heat in the larger space.

There was no sign of the brunette genius.

Raph checked the kitchen and living room next, thinking perhaps the younger twin had fallen asleep watching science videos or DIYs again.

No sign of him in here either.

Raph finally checked the genius' room, but there was nothing hidden in the projects either.

Raph sighed and went to his room in defeat. The door was ajar. Raph narrowed his eyes, not putting it past Leo to sneak into his room to rummage around and find out if Raph had been doing anything else the Fearless Leader didn't know about.

"If that's you, Leo, I swear I'll run you through." He muttered to himself.

He gently took out his sai and pushed open the door.

There, sleeping on his bed and curled up into a tight ball, was his younger twin. Don looked pale, almost ashen. Raph was suddenly aware of the fact that Don hadn't been out of his room all day.

"Oh, Donny." Raph murmured. Poor kid had gotten sick.

"This won't happen again, Donny. I promise." Raph brushed his fingers through Don's hair as he sat down on the bed.

Don murmured, his eyes flickering open and Raph noticed a pale glow of green. Don was feeling much worse than he looked.

"Hey, _Kaen._ " Don murmured.

"Hey, _Ai._ " Raph replied. "I'm sorry for what I said in the tunnels."

"S alright, Raph. I know you didn't mean it. I'm sorry for what I said too."

Raph smiled. "It's okay. I know you didn't mean it either. Promise never to fight like that again?"

"Promise." Don smiled weakly.

Raph smiled back.

As he gently pulled the blanket over Don and settled down next to him, Raph sighed with relief as he felt Don curl into his side and fall back to sleep.

"Never again, Donny. I promise."


End file.
